She stopped swinging, dropping her feet to the ground to keep her still. “You’d let me drive, Elena?”
“Awww, you know her name.” I grinned, petting the steering wheel. “And yeah, as long as you promise not to leave my transmission on the LIE. What do you say? Feel like taking her out?”
No one had ever driven my car.
Not even Tibbs, and the bastard had begged me since I’d gotten her. And it wasn’t just the price tag, which would’ve been reason enough. It was just—well, she was like my woman. And no, I wasn’t a sick bastard who fantasized about fucking the tail pipe. It was just something I’d wanted for a really long time and didn’t want to share. Much like Presley. But given the choice between my car and my girlfriend, it wasn’t even a competition.
“Is this a trick question?” she asked, lifting herself out of the swing and walking toward the car. “Or do you have a concussion I don’t know about?”
To prove my point, I threw it into neutral, pulled up the emergency brake and opened the driver’s side door. “And if I had a concussion, are you not going to take advantage of it?” I leaned back against the door, folding my arms across my chest as I smirked.
She closed the gap between the car and swing, putting her hands either side of me as she leaned in. “Then you better let me in before you come to your senses.”
Our lips met, my body pushed against the car while we made out, in what was probably the hottest threesome I could ever think up. And that kiss, it wasn’t vulnerable. It was hot and needy for a different reason.
Pulling back before anything got too out of control, I moved to the side, taking her with me and opening the driver’s side door. She looked like a kid on Christmas, scrunching her fists in excitement as she looked inside.
“You know how to work a clutch, right?” I laughed nervously, showing her the pedals. It was a little late in the game to be asking, but I was serious about not wanting to lose my transmission.
Her eyes rolled, sliding into the driver’s seat and adjusting it. “Please, I learned to drive in my dad’s car. You know the man will probably be the last person on earth to give up a stick shift. Now stop stalling and get in or I’ll leave you here.”
She wasn’t kidding either, attempting to close the door while my body was still blocking it. It was the first glimpse of the old Presley I’d seen in days, the smile on her face radiating pure happiness.
Worried I might screw it up by mentioning it, I did what the lady told me to do and got into the passenger seat. It was a long ass walk back to Midtown and I didn’t want to have to call Tibbs and ask for a ride home. I’d never hear the end of it. One, because I let his sister drive my car instead of him, and two, because she stole said car.
I’d barely fastened my belt when she let off the brake, taking off like a bat out of hell. She quickly transitioned from first to second, taking the stick like a natural as she flirted with the speed limit.
“You know we’re still in the suburbs, Pres, and not a NASCAR circuit.” I glanced over, knowing it would piss her off.
“Shut up, Leighton.” She laughed, making her way through the gears. “Don’t be such a pussy.”
“Oh, I’m being a pussy?” I laughed, loving that smile and knowing I had something to do with putting it there. “Let’s see who’s a pussy once you get on the 495 and you can really open her up. And if you’re not red lining, you’re not doing it right.”
Taking my taunt in the spirit it was intended, she took the entrance ramp, her grin widening as she tightened her grip on the wheel. The speed limit was fifty-five on the LIE, which was what you travelled at if you wanted to get some other car’s grill right up your ass. Everyone else did seventy to seventy-five, which suited us just fine considering Elena could do a hundred and not even work up a sweat.
Once we were on the interstate, there was no stopping her. Presley using every single one of those 526 horses to get herself out in front of traffic and get Elena purring. It was making me hard, both of my girls on fire as we left Long Island in the rear view and headed toward Manhattan.
The air was electric, Presley laughing as she switched lanes so she wouldn’t have to slow down. Everything about her was infectious, the light that had been missing from her eyes making a reappearance.
She didn’t slow down until we got to the tunnel, easing off the accelerator as we hit a wall of brake lights. And even though I’d been worried, there was no backward slide as we made our way onto the island.
It must have been on her mind too, her eyes cutting from the road and over to me and giving me a big smile. “Thanks,” she said, bringing Elena down to a crawl as we hit East 37th.
“For what?” I shrugged, thinking the gratitude was a bit much just for letting her drive my car.
“For everything. For being here, sticking around, and not pushing me. I feel like I’m so much drama right now, and honestly, given the choice, I’m not sure I’d stick around.”
It was hard to hear but her words were honest, and that was the only thing I expected from her. She could be messy or dramatic, and fly off the handle as much as she wanted. Some people were worth sticking around for, and what we’d been through wasn’t even close to my limit.
I reached over, covering the hand that was cradling the gearshift. “None of those are things you’re ever going to have to thank me for. I’m here because I want to be with you, and even on your worst day, I’d still count myself as lucky.”
And that was it right there.
I was lucky.
Even though shit wasn’t perfect, I’d take a slice of imperfection with Presley than a guarantee of smooth sailing with someone else. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that she was the woman I was going to marry, and if she wanted, have a couple of kids with.
Yeah, lucky was an understatement.
Presley
I HAD A lot of anger.
Confusion, hurt, and guilt as well, but anger was by far the worst. And most of all, I was angry at myself. Angry I couldn’t snap out of it. Angry I couldn’t stop replaying the possibilities in my head—of Hayden being hurt or something worse happening—and angry that I should’ve known better.
And I didn’t wake up one day and suddenly the anger was gone. There were days I was better at handling it—along with all the other emotions—and then something would just set me off and I’d snap. Like my mother suggesting I move back home.
I understood why, and intellectually I knew storming off was an overreaction. But I couldn’t make myself stop. It was like the part of me that had always been rational had taken a vacation, and what I was left with was a ticking timebomb I never knew when it was going to explode.
Jared had been amazing. Asking me to drive his car home had meant more than I could ever put into words. Apart from the obvious, where it was just a fun thing to do, and letting me drive Elena before Tibbs. I was going to totally rub salt in that wound. But it made me feel like he was literally putting me in the driver’s seat. He wasn’t trying to fix me or solve my problems, sitting beside me as I got there on my own.
There was no talk about me going back to see my parents and apologizing. Or even telling me that they were only doing it because they loved me. He didn’t talk about it at all, instead just holding me and telling me it was okay.